Understanding the Complexity of Teacher Professional Learning in the Context of China's "Double Reduction" Policy

Abstract

The "Double Reduction" policy is a collection of systematic approaches to lessen the burden on pupils and increase the efficacy of school instruction that proposes additional requirements for enhancing teacher professional learning and teaching quality. After examining the prior literature on the "Double Reduction" policy and teacher professional development, this study conducted in-depth interviews with 15 elementary and secondary school teachers to comprehend the complexity of teacher learning. In this study, the grounded theory method was used to analyze how instructors learn through the interaction of personal and external factors. Individuals engage with the learning environment to acquire and reconstruct knowledge experiences that contribute to the growth of pupils, as demonstrated by the findings. Teacher professional learning differs from teacher professional development in that it consists of three fundamental dimensions: individual factors, external support systems, and contextual elements. Motivation, ideas regarding learning, and professional identity are personal aspects of teacher learning. In addition, the objective, motivation, organization, and evaluation within the context of the "Double Reduction" strategy influenced the professional development of teachers as contextual variables. External support systems, such as teacher learning communities, school-university partnerships, and information technology, connect individual and contextual aspects of the teacher professional learning model. The many parts within the three dimensions interact to construct the processes of teacher's professional development under the "Double Reduction" strategy, giving a research foundation for the theoretical analysis of improving teacher education.